Unarmed Combat Guide
by T.A. Saunders ©2013 v1.1 Summary : Part of World of Imarel role-play is that eventually your character will have to punch somebody out. While many suffice with simply throwing a wild swing or tackling their adversary, there are times that having superior hand to hand combat skills can become critical. In situations where weapons are not readily available or in situations where a skill of fighting prowess is required of a hero and no weapons are allowed, the ability to defend one’s self becomes critical. New characters may opt to have one unarmed combat skill learned at Novice level (save Ki Miju which is only taught to monks and who start play as Proficient). List of Fighting Styles : Boxing: Traditionally a gentleman’s sport, boxing pits two similarly weighted opponents against one another in a match of strength, skill and endurance. Most boxing on Imarel is done with protective gloves for the combatants, but in some of the seedier parts of the world, there are bare-knuckled tournaments that take place. Boxing is done with hands only and a combination of fast, hard strikes and blocking is employed. A good enough boxer can make quite a bit of money running the Windsong or the Brookshire tournament circuits. : Gronka: A fighting style developed by the Kaal`Kor, Gronka is really nothing more than wild, relentless flailing at your opponent until he or she stops moving. Involving headbutts, ear-biting, groin-punches and any number of brutal tactics, Gronka favors rabid unpredictability as its greatest asset. This fighting style has no blocking or dodging whatsoever; in fact it’s considered cheating in a gronka match if one of the fighters attempts to block! Using this fighting style means both soaking and delivering a great deal of punishment in a short period of time. The term “Gronking off” is also incidentally a slang term amongst Dwarves and Northlanders that a person or persons are acting like a belligerent idiot. : Ki Miju: The fighting style known as Ki Miju or the Dancing Flame involves many sorts of fluid kicks and punches that focus on pressure points and vital areas to defeat an opponent, while weaving in and out of striking range. Often a single hit from this form of fighting is not entirely devastating, but rather sets up for a combination that can bring down the sturdiest of adversaries. Unlike other fighting styles, Ki Miju is only taught to monks of Taijuni orders that practice it. : Ninjutsu (unarmed): This fighting style is part of the larger art of Ninjutsu and will never be taught separately from the rest of the skills, or taught to outsiders. Ninjutsu employs various holds, strikes and kicks that are meant to quickly (and quietly) incapacitate an adversary, without attracting attention. Ninjutsu can only be learned in Taijun and only from one of three clans, that remain hidden to all but the most intrepid of seekers. : Razad: The ancient fighting technique of the defenders of the Theocratic Senate, Razad involves quick, vicious strikes from both the hands and the feet to inflict as much damage as possible in as short a time as possible. There is very little in the way of blocking in this fighting style but this is compensated for with a great deal of ducking and dodging. Since Shar`Vaire themselves are a less sturdy race, their fighting style punctuates avoiding being hit altogether, rather than soaking the blow. Few even amongst the Shar`Vaire employ this style now, the best known being Darechon Dur`lane, who is a grand master. : Tajah: An extremely rare fighting style practiced by the Albadosians, Tajah is a fighting style with the specific purpose of killing or incapacitating one’s opponent in a single attack. This is accomplished by a combination of pressure points, weak spots on the body and extremely hard-hitting strikes. The whole concept of Tajah is to deliver the perfect blow to grant your enemy a perfect death. There are no renown practitioners of this fighting technique outside of the distant land of Albadosia, though the style sometimes shows up on the gladiatorial circuit thanks to a handful of Albadosian participants. : Zorahn: A fighting technique developed by the Tallis-Kah, Zorahn involves quick, rapid punches combined with complex hand, arm and head locks as well as leg sweeps and short kicks to immobilize, cripple or possibly kill an opponent. While this fighting style does use some kicking, it’s primarily a arms/hands based technique. The Zorahn fighting style is taught to every Shadow Hunter of Sundown, whom are expected to achieve at least an adept skill level before being given their running wolf badge. Well known grand-masters of this fighting style include Dhamizad T`anas and David Edmiston. : Mechanics : Unarmed combat techniques can only be performed on small to large sized creatures, because in this case size does indeed matter. Furthermore, techniques that offer a killing or stunning blow can only use those sorts of attacks on the living. Mechanical and undead creatures will not fall victim to the same sorts of attacks a living person or animal might. Unarmed combat is more effective in either no armor, or lighter weight armor. Attempting a fancy kick in heavy, plated armor will result in a -40% to the attack roll and the negation of any multiple attacks. Aside of these restrictions, unarmed combat is handled just as armed combat is. All unarmed combat uses melee hit to calculate, except for monks, who use their spell hit. : Attempting to use hand to hand combat on heavily armored opponents will also prove more difficult. Even with super-human strength, even non-magical armor is fairly durable against fists and kicks. Using hand to hand combat against heavily armored opponents effectively halves all percentile scores (though does not effect the amount of times the unarmed fighter can attack). Likewise, magical defenses can sometimes block or soak entirely an attack, just as they would a melee or ranged attack. Monks effectively ignore this penalty. Fighting Style Progress Charts 'Boxing' : Novice: The boxer learns basic jabs, hooks and blocks. One attack per round or may opt to block at 25% chance of success. : Adept: The boxer learns combinations and picks up speed in execution. Two attacks per round and may opt to use one attack to block at 30% chance of success. : Proficient: The boxer is becoming a force to be reckoned with and gains a 20% to knockout (checked after all attacks are made). Blocking chance now 35%. Three attacks per round. : Master: Awesome to behold, the boxer gains four attacks per round with a 30% chance to knock out and a 40% chance to block. : Grandmaster: The grandmaster boxer is a truly dangerous adversary with a 40% knockout chance every swing made and 40% chance to block. If all attacks land and any of them score a knockout, there is a 25% chance to cause a concussion. Five attacks per round. 'Gronka' : Novice: The gronker learns how to headbutt without knocking themselves out and other various dirty fighting tricks. Chance to cower an opponent into submission is 15%. : Adept: The gronker becomes slightly more fearsome and manages to find new ways to flail like an angry drunk. Two attacks per round, chance to force submission is 20%. : Proficient: The gronker is actually becoming legitimately scary to fight. One round stun possibility 10% (checked after all attacks are made). Force submission chance is 25%. Three attacks per round. : Master: A reputation for viciousness has been earned for new and awful ways of pummeling. Four attacks per round, 15% chance for stun and force submission is 30%. : Grandmaster: The grandmaster of gronka is a whirling fiend of unchecked rage. Each attack now checks for stun at 20% and force submission is 35%. If all attacks land and all attacks make their submission role, the grandmaster can maim their target with a permanent injury. Five attacks per round. 'Ki Miju' : Novice: The Ki Miju fighter learns basic strikes, pressure points and kicks. One attack per round, with a 20% chance to incapacitate an enemy (checked once per round). : Adept: The Ki Miju fighter learns inner calm and fluidity. Two attacks per round and may opt to dodge with 10% chance of success. 30% to incapacitate (checked once per round). : Proficient: The Ki Miju fighter is becoming quite fast and accurate, thus gaining a 30% to dodge and a 40% chance to incapacitate (checked once per round). Three attacks per round. : Master: Beautiful and lethal to behold, the master Ki Miju fighter gains four attacks per round with a 35% dodge and 50% to incapacitate (checked once per round). : Grandmaster: The grandmaster of Ki Miju is an enemy to not be taken lightly with a 40% to dodge, a 55% chance to incapacitate (checked once per round) and a 10% to kill on the final attack. Five attacks per round. 'Ninjutsu' : Novice: The Ninjutsu learns basic strikes, pressure points and kicks. One attack per round, with a 25% chance to incapacitate an enemy (checked once per round). : Adept: The Ninjutsu Adept learns silence and speed. Two attacks per round, 35% to incapacitate (checked once per round) and 25% chance that the attack makes no discernable sound. : Proficient: The Ninjutsu Proficient has become a deadly, quiet killer, thus gaining a 45% to incapacitate (checked once per round) and 35% chance that the attack makes no discernable sound. Three attacks per round. : Master: The Master of Ninjutsu is a terror to behold in the final moments of one’s life, gaining 55% to incapacitate (checked once per round) and 45% chance that the attack makes no discernable sound. Should all attacks land, the ninja has a 25% chance to kill their opponent outright. Four attacks per round. : Grandmaster: The grandmaster of of Ninjutsu is the very definition of lethality, with a 65% to incapacitate (checked once per round) and 55% chance that the attack makes no discernable sound. Should all attacks land, the ninja has a 30% chance to kill their opponent outright. Five attacks per round. 'Razad' : Novice: The Razad practitioner learns basic speed and dodging techniques. Two attacks per round and a 20% chance to dodge incoming attacks (checked separate from attacks). 15% chance to land a devastating blow that cripples the target. : Adept: The Razad practitioner continues to increase in speed and ferocity, gaining three attacks per round and 25% to dodge incoming attacks. 25% chance to land a devastating blow that cripples the target (checked once per round). : Proficient: The Razad practitioner’s brutality increases that along with 30% to dodge incoming attacks, they also gain a 35% chance to land a devastating blow that cripples the target (checked once per round). Four attacks per round : Master: A veritable tornado of viciousness, the Razad master can attack five times a round with a 35% chance to dodge incoming attacks, 45% chance to land a devastating blow that cripples the target (checked one per round). : Grandmaster: The grandmaster of Razad is a truly an instrument of lethality, gaining a 40% chance to dodge and a 55% chance to land a devastating blow that cripples the target (checked once per round). Should all attacks land and a devastating blow is scored, a 15% chance to kill the target outright is made. Six attacks per round. 'Tajah' : Novice: The Tajah student learns basic hits and pressure points, gaining a 35% chance to incapacitate their target (checked once per round). : Adept: The Tajah student improves, gaining a 40% to incapacitate their target and a 25% chance to force submission with a single hit (checked once per round). Two attacks per round. : Proficient: The Tajah student becomes graceful and focused, gaining three attacks per round, 45% to incapacitate and a 30% to force submission, per hit (checked once per round). : Master: The Tajah master is a patient and calm fighter, that waits for the perfect strike, gaining a 50% to incapacitate and a 35% to force submission per hit (checked once per round). Four attacks per round. : Grandmaster: The Tajah grandmaster is the silent storm that strikes fiercely, gaining a 55% to incapacitate, 40% to force submission per hit. If both percentiles are successful, a third check is made for a killing blow at 30% chance (checked once per round). Five attacks per round. 'Zorahn' : Novice: The Zorahn student learns basic moves and pressure points, gaining a 5% chance to incapacitate and 10% to immobilize their target. : Adept: The Zorahn student improves, gaining a 10% to incapacitate, 10% to immobilize and 10% to gain a stunning strike (checked last). Two attacks per round gained. : Proficient: The Zorahn student becomes quicker and stronger, gaining two attacks per round, 15% to incapacitate and a 10% to immobilize and a 20% to stunning strike. Three attacks per round. : Master: The Zorahn master is agile, fierce attacker that has gained 20% to incapacitate, 15% to immobilize and 30% chance to score a stunning strike. Four attacks per round. : Grandmaster: The Zorahn grandmaster a fearsome foe, that has five attacks per round, 25% to incapacitate, 20% to immobilize and a 40% chance to score a stunning strike with every attack. Should all double-strike attempts score, the grandmaster can kill his target outright with 20% chance. 'Attack Bonus Chart ' *Novice: No Bonus *Adept: +10% *Proficient: +15% *Master: +20% *Grandmaster: +25% Nomenclature of Terms : Cripple: When a target is crippled, they are wounded in a way that lessens their fighting effectiveness and movement speed. Crippled enemies have their attacks per round halved and move at half their normal rate for 1d3 rounds. : Stunning Strike: When a fighter executes a successful stunning, he or she pulls off a fast jab that hits with 100% effectiveness and can check for incapacitation should it land. : Incapacitated: When a target is incapacitated, they are hit so hard and so fiercely they’re unable to retaliate in any way for 1d3 rounds, but they may block once per round if the victim has the ability to do so otherwise. : Immobilize: When a target is immobilized, they are held in some manner of leg, arm or head lock that prevents them from fleeing for 1d3 rounds. One attack or one block is possible while immobilized. : Maim: Maiming an opponent means causing a permanent, dramatic and visible injury to the victim, such as biting off an ear, scarring the face or other similar marks of brutality. These can be treated with medicine or magic to be removed. : Submission: To force a target into submission is to beat on them so fiercely that they simply want no more of it and surrender. Once submission has been forced, the victim cannot engage the attacker in any way, shape or form for 24 hours, out of outright fear and anxiety. Category:Player Guides